Today, much of world’s consumed energy is lost to waste heat through all levels of human activity. For example, thermal loss consists 20 to 50 % of total energy consumption across different industrial sectors and as high as 60-70% in current gasoline and/or diesel powered. If even a small fraction of ‘waste-heat’ could be converted into more useful forms of energy (e.g., electrical, mechanical, etc.), it would result in tremendous savings to global energy consumption.

In the MAGENTA H2020 project we are developing brand new thermoelectric materials based on ionic ferrofluids; i.e., colloidal dispersions of magnetic nanoparticles in ionic liquids. It is an inter-disciplinary and cross-sector R&D project combining concepts and techniques from physics, chemistry and electrochemistry with an active participation from industrial partners. As its final products, MAGENTA will offer novel liquid thermoelectric materials that are versatile, cost-effective and non-toxic to assist the economically and environmentally sustainable energy transition in Europe.

MAGENTA H2020 proposes a brand new technological path in thermoelectric materials research for waste-heat recovery applications. The originality of the project is based on the newly discovered thermal-to-electric energy conversion capacity of ionic-liquids and ferrofluids; i.e., colloidal dispersions of magnetic nanoparticles in ionic liquids (IL-FFs). It is an inter- disciplinary and cross-sector R&D project combining concepts and techniques from physics, chemistry and electrochemistry with an active participation from 3 SME and 1 industrial partners implicated in the materials supply-chain, the device design/ performance and the market-uptake assessment.

Both experimental and theoretical approaches will be employed to build foundational knowledge on novel magneto-thermoelectric phenomena in ferrofluids. Computational simulations will allow ‘bottom-up’ construction of IL-FFs with optimal conditions for harvesting energy. The end-products of MAGENTA, application specific magneto-thermoelectric materials and devices, will provide innovation leadership to European companies in waste- heat recovery industries. The lead-user industries targeted by MAGENTA are automobile and microelectronic sectors, but demonstration-type thermoelectric generators will also be produced for public outreach actions on waste-heat recovery technologies.

Through its foundational, interdisciplinary and cross-sector research & innovation actions, the consortium will become a “seed community” for building an innovation ecosystem around the novel magneto-thermoelectric technology, presenting long-term impacts on future renewal energy science and technology from which the society as a whole can benefit. Withal, MAGENTA offers breakthrough thermoelectric materials that are versatile, cost-effective and non-toxic to assist the economically and environmentally sustainable energy transition in Europe.

HELIS : Start : 06/01/2015 End : 05/31/2019.
Reference: H2020-NMP-GV-2014 – project n°666221
Project title : High energy lithium sulphur cells and batteries
Target : “HELIS (High energy lithium sulphur cells and batteries) focuses on the development Lithium-Sulphur cells. They will be tested according to automotive specifications.”
Lithium sulphur batteries (LSB) are viable candidates for commercialization among all post Li-ion battery technologies thanks to their high theoretical energy density and cost effectiveness. Despites many efforts, there are remaining issues that need to be solved and this will provide final direction of LSB technological development. Some of technological aspects, like development of host matrices, interactions of host matrix with polysulphides and interactions between sulphur and electrolyte have been successfully developed within Eurolis project. Open porosity of the cathode, interactions between host matrices and polysulphides and proper solvatation of polysulphides turned to be important for complete utilization of sulphur. Additionally we showed that effective separation between electrodes enables stable cycling with excellent coulombic efficiency. The remaining issues are mainly connected with a stability of lithium anode during cycling, with engineering of complete cell and with questions about LSB cells implementation into commercial products (ageing, safety, recycling, battery packs). Instability of lithium metal in most of conventional electrolytes and formation of dendrites due to uneven distribution of lithium upon the deposition cause several difficulties. Safety problems connected with dendrites and low coulombic efficiency with a constant increase of inner resistance due to electrolyte degradation represent main technological challenges. From this point of view, stabilization of lithium metal will have an impact on safety issues. Stabilized interface layer is important in view of engineering of cathode composite and separator porosity since this is important parameter for electrolyte accommodation and volume expansion adjustment. Finally the mechanism of LSB ageing can determine the practical applicability of LSB in different applications.
Website : http://www.helis-project.eu/Contact : S. Fantini (contact@solvionic.com)

ALISE : Start : 06/01/2015 End : 05/31/2019.
Reference: H2020-NMP-GV-2014 – project n°666157
Project title : Advance Lithium Sulphur Batteries for Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Target : “ALISE (Advance Lithium Sulphur Batteries for Hybrid Electric Vehicle) focuses on the development and commercial scale-up of new materials and on the understanding of the electrochemical processes involved in Lithium Sulphur Batteries”
ALISE is an European collaboration focused on the development and commercial scale-up of new materials and on the understanding of the electrochemical processes involved in the lithium sulphur technology. It aims to create impact by developing innovative battery technology capable of fulfilling the expected characteristics of European Automotive Industry needs, European Materials Roadmap, Social factors from vehicle consumers and future competitiveness trends and European Companies positioning. The project is focused on achieving 500Wh/Kg in a stable LiS cell.
The project involves dedicated durability, testing and LCA activities that will make sure the safety and adequate cyclability of battery being developed and available at competitive cost. Initial materials research will be scaled up during the project so that pilot scale quantities of the new materials will be introduced into the novel cell designs thus contributing advancements to the current state of the art.
The project approach will bring real breakthrough regarding new components, cell integration and architecture associated. New materials will be developed and optimized regarding anode, cathode, electrolyte and separator. Complete panels of specific tools and modeling associated will be developed from the unit cell to the batteries pack. Activities are focused on the elaboration of new materials and processes at TRL4.
Demonstration of the lithium sulphur technology will be up to battery pack level with validation onboard. Validation of prototype (17kWh) with its corresponding driving range (100km) will be done on circuit. ALISE is more than a linear bottom-up approach from materials to cell. ALISE shows strong resources to achieve a stable unit cell, with a supplementary top-down approach from the final application to the optimization of the unit cell.Contact : R. Lin (contact@solvionic.com)